MAFS expert John Aiken breaks silence on cast being snubbed from Logies and why the reality juggernaut will never win TV's top gong

Daily Mail​

5 days ago

Married At First Sight may be one of the biggest shows on Australian television, but in a surprising twist, it has never taken home a Logie.
Speaking to Daily Mail Australia ahead of Sunday night's Logie Awards, expert John Aiken admitted that despite dominating the ratings every year, the reality series has never been recognised with a win on Australian TV's night of nights.
'We have never won anything at the Logies,' Aiken admitted.
'But we're pretty happy with the ratings that we have. At the end of the day it all comes down to who's prepared to vote.
'The shows that win usually have people who get online and vote. With MAFS, while we have a lot of committed viewers, they don't seem to vote.'
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Aiken said the team does not measure success by trophies.
'We don't do it to get a Logie, we do it because it's fun, it's exciting and a lot of people watch it. The real prize is the huge audience engagement we get every year,' he said.
This year, like in the past, many MAFS cast members have been left off the official Logies guest list, something Aiken says is out of everyone's hands.
'It's a privilege to be invited, but it's completely out of my hands and out of the hands of the talent. Every year people are going to miss out, but you have no control over it,' he explained.
And even if the show did win a Logie, Aiken joked it would be risky to let some of the brides or grooms accept the award.
'You'd have no idea what they're going to say,' he said with a laugh.
'They're very brave people who put themselves out there and I'm grateful to them for doing the show, but you never know what they'll do once filming wraps.'
Aiken says that while the Logies may elude them, the show's reach is undeniable.
'It's now in its 13th season and it just keeps growing. It's sold into over 120 countries and it's consistently high in the ratings here. We keep putting out a high-quality product that people respond to,' John said.
The social media ripple effect is also huge.
'TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat - it's all part of the cast's life now. Even if they don't get to go to the Logies they still get big opportunities in the media afterwards,' he said.
Aiken says the show is polarising and that is exactly why it works.
'People either love it or hate it, but no one feels lukewarm. If it gets people talking, frustrated, cheering or angry, we're doing something right.'
As for Sunday's Logies, Aiken is expecting a ribbing.
'I'll cop a little serve from all sorts of people. But you've got to have a thick skin and be able to laugh at yourself in this industry,' he said.
With filming on the new season underway, Aiken teased that viewers can expect a fiery group of women leading the charge.
'We've got a cast full of very powerful, opinionated, outspoken women who will hold everyone to account. Some also have a heavy TikTok flavour to their dating approach which is very entertaining,' John explained.
He says the cast is unlike anything we have seen before, with fresh cultural diversity, a sports presenter who loves cricket, and personalities who break the mould of previous seasons.
Fans can also expect Aiken to continue his no-nonsense approach at the dinner parties.
'My role is clear now. I call out bad behaviour and hold people to account,' he said.
'Over the last few seasons I've become more direct and blunt because sometimes the behaviour is more extreme. People at home learn from that too.'
Aiken also weighed in on some of last season's breakout stars – and why they became household names.
'Eliot Donovan was such an interesting journey. He came in polarising, had some ups and downs, but by the end people could see a different side of him. That redemption arc is rare on reality TV and it made people lean in,' Aiken said.
Aiken meanwhile praised fellow bride Jamie Marinos, calling her 'a total breath of fresh air'.
'Jamie was bubbly, funny and had that unfiltered way of speaking her mind that you just cannot script,' he said.
'People loved her energy and it translated into huge social media engagement.'
He added that these big personalities are exactly why MAFS continues to dominate the cultural conversation.
'They're authentic. Sometimes that makes them controversial, but it also makes them relatable. Whether people are cheering for them or against them, they're watching.'
Voting is now open for all awards and will remain open until 7pm AEST, Friday, August 1.